Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is chronic pain and fatigue that comes from the brain and spinal chord more than directly from the areas where one hurts. It’s not easy to diagnose or treat. When I was first in practice many doctors thought this problem was all in a patient’s head and dissed its veracity. Now, fibromyalgia is considered the 2nd most common rheumatic disorder behind osteoarthritis.

Fibromyalgia is regarded as a lifelong central nervous disorder that creates amplified pain in various body parts. The person with it can suffer greatly and often can’t get off the couch.

Commonly used medications don’t seem to work very well for it.

But there are protocols and tools that effectively reduce pain and boost energy and well-being but are not known by many practitioners.

Here are some solid functional medicine bullet points to check off to see how they might help you. But you will have to find a health team that works with these.

One medication, amitriptyline, has been a life-saver for some with this condition.

 

Considerations to discuss with your health care provider:

  1. Oral progesterone that acts as a nervous system anti-inflammatory agent, especially in tandem with vitamin D that should be at least 50-70 ng/mL It also helps with sleep in both men and women.
  2. Low-dose naltraxone (1.5 to 4 mg which boosts immune system)
  3. Rule out physiologic deficiencies of cortisol and adrenal dysregulation
  4. Test, identify and treat if found, “stealth pathogenic infections” like Lyme, etc.
  5. Underlying viral infections put the central nervous system in constant stress and the naltraxone, and sometimes a strategic protocol of HCG subQ injections along with multiple B12 IM injections, for sustained periods, reduces viral titers and CNS stress. It is amazing how much pain and energy improvement these can offer some sufferers.
  6. Comprehensive gut and digestive analysis as 80% of immune system is in the gut
  7. Define scope of methylation issues and treat
  8. ID food sensitivities and avoid and rebuild gut health especially at gut wall permeability capacity
  9. ID and treat intracellular mineral deficiencies
  10. Narcotics don’t eliminate pain as they don’t effect brain neurotransmitters so get neurotransmitter panel tested and treated nutritionally
  11. Rule out subclinical thyroid issues (do in-depth panel that includes free T3, reverse T3, antibodies and more, not just TSH)
  12. Exercise/stretching fitness training is invaluable. I have seen folks that add a strategic program of this into their lives really up their improvement, but it must be regular and combine all aspects of “working” the body in healthy ways.
  13. Trigger point work with various natural injectable agents like Serapin, lidocaine, B12, sterile injectable Traumeel, and sometimes even ozone.
  14. Get tested and treated for toxicants like pesticides, solvents and other chemicals that can damage the central nervous system and gut wall.

 

And there you have it.